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Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)
Western High School Boundary Map options (A/B/C/D)
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Anonymous
No idea. The entire thing sounds like a logistical nightmare (and staffing nightmare). |
Anonymous
+1 That is exactly what happened with me. (I've posted this before.) Only difference, we had "junior high" before that instead of middle. I began as a 10th grader with only 11th grade ahead. (The school system added one grade per year, so the 11th graders had been there as 10th graders.) I was in the second graduating class. And, as PP said, there were clubs, newspapers, yearbooks, and sports. Yes, like PP said, the sports were pretty mediocre but there was heavy participation in them. (And, as for concerns about a future in D1, one of my classmates went on to play D1 football and then on to play professionally. He won two championship Super Bowl rings as a starter.) While, of course, we didn't have all the "traditions," we did have an excitement for the new school. We had phenomenal teachers, too. |
Anonymous
The folks near Carson got a very expensive carrot, almost a decade ahead of schedule, and now it's time to show them a bit of stick. |
Anonymous
year 1 opt in year 2 opt out year 3 go to your assigned school |
Anonymous
+1 Current 6th (rising 7th) go to assigned school. |
Anonymous
Perhaps it's already being walked back, but I stand by hearing Reid say anyone rising 7th grade and up would have the option of either school. |
Anonymous
This is so stupid. How does it compare to students affected by other boundary changes FCPS is planning to adopt in early January? |
Anonymous
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Meren sent the following in her newsletter.
"Regarding boundary phasing: I advocate that phasing avoid disrupting families with siblings in secondary grades, especially regarding the transition from a middle school building to a high school building. I support phasing that allows families with a student(s) in high school and a student(s) in middle school to continue having their middle school student(s) follow into their sibling’s high school. I support such phasing for this initial implementation of the boundary review work, to ease us all into new boundaries that optimize resources and reduce split feeders among pyramids. Boundary review goals do not all have to be achieved in this first year of implementation! Furthermore, the changes that the Board adopts on January 22, 2026, cannot be a one-size-fits-all determination for this geographically huge county. There are different opinions among School Board Members about this, though, so your continued advocacy to the full Board remains important. " |
Anonymous
It’s no different. But Reid sat on the new western HS for a few months, hoping it would become a magnet school. Many people asked for it to be combined with the comprehensive boundary change, but they were ignored. Eventually, it became evident that people/the board didn’t want a magnet, so Reid came up with hasty draft options. Obviously the board didn’t like them (for sure Meren didn’t like them) so Reid walked back and now wanted to do the comprehensive boundary first, determine the boundary for KAA in June, and give maximum flexibility to the five HS boundaries. That plan is also half-baked. She doesn’t even know how the opt-in/opt-out would work for Chantilly/Centreville kids who are moving to Westfield. Reid should have started the boundary study for KAA right after the purchase. Now most likely we will have to wait for another year (and the boundary fight will continue). |
Anonymous
No she said CURRENT 7th-9th graders would have a choice. They will not have to go the new school. So a current 6th grader (or rising 7th) will NOT have a choice. |
Anonymous
I wonder if staff and School Board knew what she was going to say, or if she is just winging it? |
Anonymous
She said RISING 7th at the Chantilly meetings. Perhaps she said something different at the meeting yesterday (I didn't dial in). Regardless, it sounds like no decision has actually been made based on Meren's position mentioned earlier. |
Anonymous
So Meren wants the new school to start in 2027. I understand she usually prefers taking time before making a decision, but bifurcating the KAA boundary change from the comprehsinve boundary change would be also problematic. For example, under Scenario 4, Emerald Chase kids are moving from Westfield to SLHS in 2026. Now they will move again in 2027 to KAA. |
Anonymous
They have to be livid with her, right? She’s out there promising things to families knowing full well the board would have to propose a plan and vote on it. And how are people from elsewhere in the county going to feel hearing that those close to Western HS are essentially getting special treatment with regard to getting to choose their school for the next two years or maybe longer? The more meetings they have, the more unclear things get. |
Anonymous
You didn’t include the more important part regarding Western HS. The Superintendent has recognized that the timeline to assign students to Western’s first class for fall 2026 is too ambitious. There will be too many unanswered questions for families to comfortably prepare students for such a transition. Second, it comes down to County permitting. It was during the October 30, first meeting of the Joint Facility Review Committee, of which I’m on, that it became clear that permitting to transition the building for a fall opening by FCPS would not be completed in the needed timeline. A key factor is completing the “2232 Process”, in a best-case scenario of five months. This is not enough time to then COMPLETE necessary structural adjustments to the facility by the fall. Additionally, it’s become clear that the school division needs to maintain its original commitment to the comprehensive boundary review process that has been underway for over a year. The thoughtful work of the comprehensive review deserves focused attention until the planned completion when the School Board votes on January 22, on the Superintendent’s proposed changes. Also, I have seen how hard FCPS staff are working on all of these efforts, and it’s not sustainable nor optimal. I am relieved to see a reasonable approach to opening this new public facility asset in FCPS. I understand that the Board will still vote publicly as scheduled on November 13, on the school’s “programming”, which means establishing the school as a comprehensive “traditional” high school, rather than a magnet, with a to-be-determined boundary drawn from the local geographic area. This remains aligned with FCPS’ Capital Improvement Program (CIP) long-term plan to alleviate overcrowding at Westfield, Chantilly, and Centreville High Schools. The Board’s specific meeting agendas are posted on Board Docs days prior to a meeting. Western HS remains an exciting opportunity and new public facility asset, and a tremendous financial savings to Fairfax taxpayers. More information about the purchase of Western HS is here. |